The front-page story prompted a public backlash against the paper, both for the method involved in obtaining the story – a former aide who claimed to have had a relationship with Triesman secretly recorded a lunch meeting – and the detrimental impact it might have on England's bid. Even the paper's columnist Gary Lineker was moved to quit.

Such front-page stories have helped Wright emerge from the shadow of Daily Mail editor and Associated Newspapers editor-in-chief Paul Dacre, who he has been tipped to succeed. Not all of them hit the mark – the paper had to pay substantial undisclosed damages to Madonna after it printed "purloined" pictures of her wedding to Guy Ritchie.

Editor of the Mail on Sunday since 1998, Wright has worked for Associated for more than 30 years, previously as deputy to Dacre and editor of the daily paper's Femail section.

Wright's paper was also responsible for one of the most innovative marketing campaigns of recent years, giving away a new Prince CD for free. Wright has described papers as no longer mere news services but "cultural packages ... put together by a remarkable collection of people with fingers on the pulse".

The paper said its Triesman scoop was a legitimate story concerning "very serious allegations of corruption at the highest level of sport".

Time will tell whether the allegations were legitimate ones, whether the revelations affected England's World Cup bid, and whether it will have any lasting implications for the popularity and public's perception of the Mail on Sunday itself.